By Luca Virgilio

 

Italy won the first three games of the U16 Division “A” European Championship against Croatia, England and Turkey. The results were surprising because Croatia and Turkey seemed too strong for this Italy but Oliva, Mussini and Rossato have shown that they can compete with everybody and will be hard to beat them. We talked with Pierfrancesco Oliva (’96), 6’7’’ SG of Virtus Siena. He's playing a superb EC and he achieved an average of 15 points and 9 rebounds, with the maximum of 27 points in the first match against Croatia.

-You started with 3 wins in three games. Did you expect a beginning so positive?
Yes. We started with three victories and no one expected it, but we knew our true value and we have demonstrated in these days that we are not afraid of anyone, no matter how they are called or the shirt they wear. We know that all depends on us.

-Now you will face in the second round Spain, Ukraine and Latvia. What kind of games will be in your opinion?
These three games will be very tough because Ukraine looks like a very aggressive team and we must be careful to play the best we can. We know Spain well and we have won the last two games in the pre-Dadu tournaments, but we know that the previous ones mean nothing at the EC and I am sure that this will be a very tight game. Latvia will be a tough opponent because they play at home and they will have all the public supporting them.

-A month ago you suffered a bad injury and it seemed that your participation in the EC was in doubt. But you're showing on court to be in perfect physical condition.
Yes, I did not think I could do it, but from the first day of rehab all the staff of my national team motivated me, helping me in every way possible to make sure that I could get in the best possible conditions for this event. We came to do individual workouts for 2 or 3 times a day, but the commitment and efforts that I have made are paying me.

-What player has been the harder to play against in these first days?
I think that the best is Ulubay of Turkey. He has a fantastic vision of the game, great physico, shooting, and the thing that impressed me the mostall is that he is a 1997 born player, that makes the difference with players older than him.

Twitter of the author: @lucavirgilio

Photo: FIBA Europe / Romans Koksarovs